By Aggrey Baba
A bitter war has erupted within ruling party circles, with NRM figures turning on each other over unverified reports about the alleged ill health of First Lady and Minister for Education, Janet Kataaha Museveni.
The controversy, first surfaced on social media last week, claiming that Mama Janet had been airlifted to USA in critical condition for urgent medical attention, reports which were largely driven by bloggers and social media users (mostly NUP foot soldiers), quickly gained traction, sparking widespread speculation and emotional reactions across the country.
Despite the intensity of the claims, the government has remained silent, neither confirming nor formally dismissing the reports. This vacuum has instead been filled by individual politicians, many from within the NRM, offering conflicting narratives (some attempting to dismiss the reports, others amplifying suspicion).
Among those who sought to pour cold water on the allegations is Minister of state for Youth and Children Affairs, Balaam Barugahara, who publicly rubbished the claims, urging Ugandans to ignore what he described as malicious propaganda.
But his remarks appear to have only deepened divisions.
Two days a go, outspoken outgoing Buyaga West MP Barnabas Tinkasimire launched a scathing attack, accusing Balaam of attempting to conceal what he insists is a grave reality.
“Hon. Balaam is forgetting that you are an accomplished journalist who is where you are by merit. The truth will come out anyway. We knew little about the sickness of the First Lady. But circumstantial evidence is pointing to the fact that she is actually fighting for her life,” Tinkasimire wrote on X (formally Twitter).
His remarks triggered an immediate and equally ferocious response from Kasambya County MP and PLU Secretary General (SG) David Kabanda, a known ally of First Son Muhoozi Kainerugaba who on Wednesday, April 1st, fired back.
“Look at this lunatic who thinks that by spewing hate and bad wishes on the First Family, he will gain political relevance. I thank the people of Buyaga for ejecting out this parasite,” Kabanda fired back, escalating the already heated exchange.
The silence from official government channels seems to have only fueled the speculation, leaving room for the opposition to weaponize the situation for relevance and attention.
Meanwhile, the debate has spilled into the wider public arena, sharply dividing opinion. Sections of opposition-leaning social media users have been accused of celebrating the unverified reports, while NRM supporters and sympathizers have rallied in defense of the First Family, offering prayers and condemning the inhumane politics.(For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
